Over Half of U.K. Employees Experience Excessive Stress

Research from Great Place to Work finds that organisations are still struggling to fully meet employees’ needs and achieve workplace well-being.

By Maggie Mancini

Employee well-being is a holistic concept encompassing individuals’ subjective experiences of their working lives. It is an outcome and personal assessment of how people feel about their workplace; for employers, it is all about creating the conditions for them to thrive.  

Leveraging their research-based Trust Index Survey, Great Place to Work has conducted a U.K. population study, surveying 2,200 employees across 11 sectors. The past few years have been particularly challenging for employers and employees alike due to the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, employee well-being became a priority for company leaders. Yet, despite years of investment, organisations are still struggling to fully meet employees’ needs and achieve workplace well-being measures.  

Over half (53%) of U.K. employees say that the demands of their job cause them excessive stress. Stress was highest among frontline managers, with just 37% saying that the demands of their jobs do not cause excessive stress. In comparison, 47% of employees and 44% of mid-level managers report the same.  

As a result, frontline managers tend to report the lowest levels of well-being among the working population. The combination of high stress, excessive workloads, demands of leading a team, and other pressures significantly impact their well-being. These challenges can cause isolation, burnout, and feelings of being undervalued.  

In the U.K., 36% of employees frequently think about leaving their current company. Given that nearly half (45%) of employees say they don’t look forward to coming to work, the importance of well-being in retaining staff comes sharply into focus.  

Prioritising employee well-being can significantly increase retention, boost employee advocacy, and strengthen employee engagement. Employees who experience high levels of well-being in the workplace are three times more likely to stay with their employer.  

Perks and wellness programmes often fall short of addressing the true needs of employees for enhancing their well-being. By analysing a sample of 1,000 comments from UK employees, Great Place to Work discovered that employees now look for the following to support their personal well-being: 

• work-life balance and hybrid working; 
• workload, resourcing, and processes; 
• people management; 
• pay and financial security; and 
• benefits and well-being programmes.